Spurs went through a long list of candidates this summer before finally appointing Nuno Espirito Santo as their new manager after showing Jose Mourinho the exit door in April.

 

Ex-Roma coach Fonseca was close to taking over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but the Spurs hierarchy ultimately decided he was not the right man for the job.

 

 

And Fonseca has revealed it was Spurs new managing director of football Paratici that vetoed him as he deemed his style of football as too attack focused for what the club need at present.

 

Fonseca added that Spurs chief Daniel Levy, who made it clear that he wanted an attacking minded coach, and director Steve Hitchen were both open to him, but Paratici wanted a coach with a more defensive approach.

 

 

While discussing how close he came to taking over at Spurs, Fonseca told the Telegraph: “The agreement was done.

 

“We were planning the pre-season and Tottenham wanted an offensive coach.

 

 

“It wasn’t announced but we planned pre-season players.

 

“But things changed when the new managing director arrived and we didn’t agree with some ideas and he preferred another coach.

 

“I have some principles.

 

“I wanted to be coach of the great teams, but I want the right project and a club where the people believe in my ideas, my way to play, and this didn’t happen with the managing director.

 

“It’s what the chairman and the sporting director [Steve Hitchen] asked for.

 

“To build a team who can play attractive and offensive football and I was ready for that.

 

“I cannot be a different way.”

 

Spurs have had a mixed bag of results under Nuno so far this season and are now set to take on Arsenal in a north London derby in the Premier League on Sunday.